Strawberry plant named &#39;YASMIN&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Fragaria ananassa  plant named ‘YASMIN’, particularly characterized by very early flowering, compact growth habit, and short-conical fruit shape.

BOTANICAL NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Fragaria×ananassa Duch. (Fragaria L.)

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘YASMIN’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of astrawberry plant, botanically known as Fragaria×ananassa Duch. (FragariaL.) of the Rosaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the varietydenomination ‘YASMIN’.

The new Fragaria ananassa variety is a product of a planned breedingprogram conducted by the inventors, Nir DAI, Zecharia TANAMI, SaraSLOTZKY and Ahuva DAOUS, in The Volcani Center, located in Bet Dagan,Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a newFragaria ananassa variety with early season high fruit production, whichstarts in the beginning of November under conditions prevailing inIsrael.

The new Fragaria ananassa variety originated from a cross made by theinventors in 2005, in a controlled greenhouse in The Volcani Center, BetDagan, Israel. The female or seed parent is the Fragaria ananassaproprietary breeding line designated ‘ARO 105’ (unpatented). The male orpollen parent is the Fragaria ananassa proprietary breeding linedesignated ‘ARO 701’ (unpatented). The new Fragaria ananassa ‘YASMIN’was observed and selected by the inventors within the progeny of thestated cross in a controlled environment in 2007 in The Volcani Center,Bet Dagan, Israel.

Asexual propagation of the new Fragaria ananassa variety by stolons wasfirst performed in June 2007 in The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel,and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as hereindisclosed for the new variety was firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual propagation. The new varietypropagates true-to-type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe characteristics of ‘YASMIN’, which in combination, distinguish thisstrawberry plant as a new, unique and distinct variety:

1. Very early beginning of flowering which is in the first week ofOctober, in Israel;

2. Compact growth habit;

3. Short-conical fruit shape.

In comparison to the parental varieties, ‘ARO 105’ and ‘ARO 701’,‘YASMIN’ differs primarily in the traits listed in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with parent varieties. Female Parent Male Parent NewVariety ‘ARO 105’ ‘ARO 701’ Trait ‘YASMIN’ (unpatented) (unpatented)Fruit length short long medium to long Fruit color red light red mediumto dark red Plant growth compact medium dense medium dense habitInflorescence above above At level with position relative to foliage

Of the many commercial varieties known to the present inventors, themost similar in comparison to the new Fragaria ananassa ‘YASMIN’ isFragaria ananassa ‘TAMAR’, (Patented, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,135) whichdiffers from the new strawberry ‘YASMIN’ in the characteristicsdescribed in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with a well known commercial variety. ComparisonVariety New Variety TAMAR (U.S. Plant Characteristic ‘YASMIN’ Pat. No.PP11,135) Beginning of very early early flowering Plant growth compactMedium dense habit Fruit shape conical conical Sensitivity to TolerantSusceptible Powdery mildew

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Fragaria ananassa variety ‘YASMIN’ showing the colors as true as isreasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors inthe photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed morphological description, which accurately describe the colorof ‘YASMIN’.

FIG. 1—Shows a typical fruit bearing plant of ‘YASMIN’.

FIG. 2—Shows a typical fruit of ‘YASMIN’.

FIG. 3—Shows a typical fruit of ‘YASMIN’ in longitudinal section.

FIG. 4—Shows a typical leaf of ‘YASMIN’

FIG. 5—Shows a typical calyx of ‘YASMIN’

FIG. 6—Shows a typical flower of ‘YASMIN’

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Fragaria ananassa ‘YASMIN’ has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new variety mayvary with variations in environment such as temperature, lightintensity, day length or soil without any change in the genotype of thestrawberry plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the followingobservations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘YASMIN’ asgrown in the field in The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel, underconditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercialpractice. The described plants were propagated from stolons and plantedat a distance of 0.3×0.3 m in sandy red loam soil at an elevation ofabout 30 meters above sea level, with drip irrigation and fertilizers asgenerally used in commercial practice. Average annual rainfall is about550 mm, with an average 350 mm of rainfall in winter (December toFebruary). Mean diurnal minimum temperature in January is 7.2° C., andmean diurnal maximum temperature in July is 30.8° C.

Mother plants provided from an authorized nursery are planted in thebeginning of May, in the field nursery at 2.5 m×2.5 m distance.Combination of overhead and drip irrigation with addition of fertilizersis used. The average day/night temperatures during the establishment ofthe daughter plants, between June to August, are 32° C./18° C.respectively. Runners appear from June, which produce young daughterplants up till mid September, these are then collected and planteddirectly in the commercial fields. Growing conditions at the fruitproduction field:

The bare-rooted plants are washed from soil and dipped in Octav(Prochloraz manganese) 2 g/Liter solution to avoid anthracnose. Thesebare rooted plants are then planted in raised beds with overheadirrigation in 4 rows at 30 cm apart. Distance between plants within rowsis 32 cm. During the first month, no fertilizers are added, due to theaddition of 60-100 m³/hectar compost during field preparation. About 4weeks after planting the beds are covered with silvery-black, 30 micronpolyethylene. The young plants are pulled out through the pre-preparedholes. From this point on, the plants are irrigated with a drip systemwith a supply of additional fertilizers, as is typically used inagricultural practice. By the end of October the beds are covered withtransparent, 80 micron thick polyethylene tunnels. The average day (max)and night (minimum) temperatures during the cultivation season are shownin FIG. 6.

Unless otherwise stated, the detailed morphological description includesobservations, measurements and values taken from 2012 to 2014 and basedon ‘YASMIN’ plants grown in the nursery at The Volcani Center, BetDagan, Israel. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average or arange of measurements taken from a number of plants of ‘YASMIN’. Themeasurements of any individual plant or any group of plants, of the newvariety may vary from the stated average or range.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.), (1986 edition), except where general colors of ordinarysignificance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditionsin full sunlight in The Volcani Center, located in Bet Dagan, Israel.

All of the plants of ‘YASMIN’, insofar as they have been observed, havebeen consistent in all the characteristics described below.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Fragaria ananassa×ananassa Duch. (Fragaria L.).-   Parentage:    -   -   Female or seed parent.—Fragaria ananassa ‘ARO 105’            (unpatented).        -   Male or pollen parent.—Fragaria ananassa ‘ARO 701’            (unpatented).-   Propagation: vegetatively from stolons-   Growing conditions:    -   -   Light intensities.—full sunlight.

Janu- Febru- ary ary March April May June Mean maxi- 17.8 18.1 20.1 24.527 29.2 mum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean mini- 7.2 7.1 8.8 11.5 14.617.9 mum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean rain- 140.5 96.9 66.1 17.5 2.2 —fall (mm) Au- Sep- Oc- No- De- July gust tember tober vember cember Meanmaxi- 30.8 31.2 30.4 28.3 24.1 19.7 mum air temper- ature (° C.) Meanmini- 20.6 21.2 19.4 16 11.8 8.6 mum air temper- ature (° C.) Mean rain-— — 0.4 20.4 76.2 130.3 fall (mm)

-   -   -   Fertilization.—A balanced fertilizer with level of 3-1-9            (N-P-K) +3% microelements.        -   Growth regulators.—not applied.

TABLE OF CHARACTERISTICS Plant Habit: round, compact Height:  25-30 cm.Diameter:  25-30 cm. Density: medium. Vigor: strong. Leaf Color of upperside: medium to dark green RHS 137 B. Color of lower side: medium greenRHS 138 B. Length:  8-12 cm. Width:  10-14 cm. Cross section: slightlyconcave. Blistering: medium strong. Number of leaflets: more than 3.Terminal leaflet Length:  60-65 mm. Width:  55-65 mm. Shape of base:obtuse. Shape of teeth: rounded. Side leaflet Length:  55-60 m. Width: 65-70 mm. Shape of base: truncate. Petiole Pose of hairs: outwards.Length:  9-13 cm. Thickness: about 3 mm. Green color: light green RHS144 C. Anthocyanin coloration: absent. Stipule Length:  25-30 mm. Width:  6-9 mm. Anthocyanin coloration: absent. Color: very light green RHS144 D. Stolons Number: numerous. Anthocyanin coloration: weak.Thickness:   2-3 mm. Pubescence: medium outwards. Color: light green RHS144 B. Inflorescence Position relative to foliage: above. Attitude:erect. Flower Diameter:  25-33 mm. Size of calyx relative to corolla: 33-40 mm. Size of inner calyx relative smaller. to outer calyx: Spacingof petals: strongly overlapping. Length of sepal:  17-23 mm. Width ofsepal:  9-12 mm. Color of sepal: medium green RHS 137 D. Petal Length: 13-15 mm. Width:  14-15 mm. Shape: rounded. Color of upper side: whiteRHS 155 B. Color of lower side: white RHS 155 B. Fruiting trussAttitude: prostrate. Thickness: about 2 mm. Color: light green RHS 144B. Pubescence: strong. Fruit Difference in shapes between clear. primaryand secondary fruits: Fruit of secondary order(representative) Length:about 45 mm. Maximum diameter: about 35 mm. Weight:  20-25 g.Predominant shape: conical. Band without achenes:  3-6 mm. Unevenness ofsurface: smooth. Color: very dark red RHS 42 A. Evenness of color:rather even. Glossiness: medium to strong. Insertion of achenes: sunken.Insertion of calyx: at level. Color of achenes: light green RHS 145 ADensity of achenes: medium dense. Number of achenes: 300-450. Pose ofthe calyx segments: reflexed. Size of calyx in relation similar. tofruit diameter: Length of outer calyx segment:  20-25 mm. Width of outercalyx segment:  10-12 mm. Color of inner calyx segment : medium to darkgreen RHS 137 B. Color of outer calyx segment : medium green RHS 137 D.Adherence of calyx: very strong. Firmness: firm. Color of flesh: mediumto dark red RHS 42 D. Evenness of color of flesh: white RHS 155 B.Sweetness: good sweetness, Brix 8.0-9.5%. Acidity: Medium to low aciditypH 3.75-3.9. Time of flowering Very early (in early plantings aroundOctober 10th) Time of ripening Early (start at 10th of November) Type ofbearing Remontant

-   -   -   Maturity.—Ripe for commercial harvesting on about November            10^(th) in Israel.

-   Disease resistance: Tolerant to Powdery mildew

-   Pest resistance: No atypical resistance has been noted.

-   Disease susceptibility: none observed.

-   Pest susceptibility: Susceptible to red spider mites.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Fragaria ananassaplant named ‘YASMIN’, as illustrated and described herein.